Plane swept over by raging sandstorm at Saudi Arabian airport (VIDEO)

Cockpit footage shot at Saudi Arabia’s Jizan Airport showed a pilot struggling to control a commercial plane in almost zero-visibility conditions after landing straight into a sandstorm engulfing the runway.

Rocked by high winds, the jetliner touched down as a sand cloud blanketed the runway, blocking the sun. As the plane slowed to a halt on the asphalt, visibility was reduced to almost zero.

Less than 40 miles from the Yemeni border, Jizan has been the focus of conflict between Saudi military forces and Yemeni Houthi rebels in recent days. Saudi air defenses reportedly intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles in the region this week, and a Saudi military convoy was reportedly attacked nearby the week before.